Girl rescued from kidnapper

The Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) rescued a three-year-old girl at a bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City yesterday from the woman who kidnapped her in a Pasay City mall last Wednesday.

The PACER arrested Lovel Tobias, also known as Lovel Viernes, for allegedly kidnapping Trisha May Tabifranca.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said Tobias met and befriended Trisha’s mother, Vanessa, at an employment agency in Quezon City last month.

While window-shopping at the Pasay mall last Oct. 1, Vanessa entrusted her daughter to Tobias while she ordered some snacks and went to the restroom. When she returned, Tobias and her daughter were gone.

Suspecting that her child was kidnapped, Vanessa sought the assistance of mall security personnel and the PACER at Camp Crame.

Tobias reportedly demanded P50 million from Trisha’s mother, threatening Vanessa that she would sell the child to a childless Japanese couple if her demand is not met.

Following a series of PACER-assisted negotiations, P15,000 was deposited in a bank account under the suspect’s name.

At about 10:15 a.m. yesterday, PACER police officers arrested Tobias as she handed Trisha to her mother after receiving the rest of the ransom at the Dagupan Bus Terminal.